Cynorkis gigas Schltr. 1924 SECTION Cynorchis

Photo by © Phillip Cribb and Arkive Orchid Photo Website

Common Name The Gigantic Cynorkis [refers to the large, for the genus, flowers]

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm] long

Found in central and southeastern Madagascar on rocky outcrops at elevations of 800 to 2000 meters as a small sized, warm to cool growing lithophyte or epiphyte with 2 elongated tubers giving rise to an erect stem carrying 2, adpressed to the soil, lanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, slightly attenuate towards the base leaves that blooms in the summer on terminal, erect, 8 to 12" [20 to 30 cm] long, 1 to 2 flowered inflorescence enveloped mostly by 1 to 2, elongate sheaths.

Similar to C christae but this one has a spotted leaf, a 8 to 12" long inflorescence, less than half the length of the ovary floral bracts, 1 to 2 flowers, laterally divergent lobes and a lip with purple brown markings, a spur that is 4" [10 cm] long, and indistinctly swollen in the upper 1/3, and occurs at much higher elevations in the southcentral of Madagascar.

Synonyms Cynosorchis gigas Schltr 1925;

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Flora of Madagascar Perrier 1939/81 as Cynosorchis gigas drawing good; Orchids of Madagascar Hermans 2007 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 #3 2009 photo fide; Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar Cribb & Herman 2009 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 85 #6 2015 photo fide; Les Orchidees de Madagascar Bosser & Lecoufle 2015 photo fide; A la Recherche des Orchidees de Madagascar Hervouet 2018 photo fide;

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